My 8 Year Old Has Warts.

Updated on
August 04, 2009

A.C.
asks from
Sugar Land, TX
on August 02, 2009

21
answers

I am looking for some advice on either who to take my son to or how to get rid of warts. They started out on his forehead months ago. I didn't think they were anything to be alarmed about until they started spreading. I took him to the dermatologist who called him out something that smelled like fingernail polish remover. I can't use it though on his eyelids due to the fumes burning his eyes. I took him back again and she called out a cream that is $100. I then took him to the pediatrician. He called out an even more expensive cream and some high powered tablets. None of it is working and the warts are spreading like crazy. I know it's a virus and his body can't read it and it may take some time for them to go away. However, they are now spreading into his hairline, face and arms. He is very white headed so it's hard to see where they are at in his hair. Kids are now asking him about the bumps and it's embarassing. Any suggestions?

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A.R.

answers from
Houston
on
August 03, 2009

It sounds like moluscus - I had them as a child and my nieces and nephew have them as well - they are hereditary. They also spread - so if he touches them and touches somewhere else they will spread. Are you here in Houston? If you can get a referral to UT Dermatology - Dr. Adelaide Hebert or someone in her practice. THey are the best and have treated all of us. They are in the medical center.

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N.S.

answers from
Houston
on
August 03, 2009

It almost sounds as if you need to see someone who deals with immunity issues - as you said warts are a virus and it appears his little body is unable to fight it off.

Do some research on warts, causes of, treatments for, etc. Depending on the info, call you pedi and either have a frank discussion as to how to treat them or ask for a referral to someone who can.

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D.F.

answers from
Austin
on
August 03, 2009

Have you tried a more specialized physician? Of course, I would try the OTC recommendations by the moms first!! But - maybe a pediatric dermatologist or even a pediatric immunologist. How frustrating and how tough! Best of luck and he's lucky to have a mom that keeps trying so hard to get him better!

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A.C.

answers from
Houston
on
August 02, 2009

Is it Molluscum that has been diagnosed? My daughter has a very minor outbreak right now. I actually pierced some of them with a sterile needle, wiped with alcohol, and bandaged with antibiotic ointment. Those cleared up much faster than the ones I've left alone. I also heard about good results with tea tree or lavender oil, but I haven't had to go that route.

Hygiene is really important to help control the spread. Washing bedding in hot water on a regular basis and not sharing towels will help keep the other kids from getting it.

If it is Molluscum, it is a virus of the skin...not in his blood so to speak.

Good luck. How frustrating.

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B.H.

answers from
Houston
on
August 03, 2009

My now 22 year old had up to 70 warts on her when she was in her pre teen and teen years. It was a horrible site for her and us. We tried everything also. She was at camp and a very caring boy told her of his experience. He increased his vitamin C intake. She did, lots of carrots since she was not much of a veggie eater and they started disappearing. I know that it sounds too good to be true but it did work and she has not had a reoccurance. After about 2 weeks you will start to see the results if this in fact does help your child. Good luck, I have been there and it is not fun.

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J.T.

answers from
Victoria
on
August 03, 2009

i had warts as a kid. once i used compound w and another time my family doctor froze them off. i never had more than three at once. i would do some research on it. for them to be spreading so rapidly seems very unusuall. i would go to a second dermatoligest and gather as much information as you can about this problem. down to what he should eat.

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K.A.

answers from
Houston
on
August 03, 2009

Try apple cider vinegar on a cotton piece, like the end of a q-tip. Soak in the apple cider vinegar, place cotton on wart, cover with bandaid and leave on for 24 hours. Repeat until wart falls off, usually within days. MAY burn and sting a little and of course don't put around his eyes. They will swell and turn brown or black and then fall off. This is normal. This would work for the ones away from his eyes. This usually does not leave scars. Google it if you aren't sure about trying this one!

You might need to find another dermatologist. And they will not just go away. The virus will continue to spread and antibiotics will not affect it. He is probably also spreading them by touching them. You may need to find someone who will do laser removal on them.

You MUST get these stopped and removed before they do spread into his eyes.

Good luck!

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R.L.

answers from
Houston
on
August 03, 2009

You've received a lot of great advice all ready. I just wanted to add and increase in vitamins, Zinc and Iron can help get rid of them on top of using the topical treatment. Of course since it is on his face you may not be able to use some of the products. I would suggest to definitely seek another dermatologist that has experience with this. Dont' let it go because it will just keep getting worse. It's possible that he may need them removed by laser treatment. luckily it is a relatively routine procedure and they can do it in an out patient setting.

Good luck!

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S.C.

answers from
Austin
on
August 03, 2009

I had them when I was around 10 years old and after the painful solutions that only burned my skin but didn't take them away, we discovered ZINC. If your son can swallow pills already, have him take one zinc tablet per day and they will go away. If he can't swallow pills yet, you'll have to crush them into something and they taste awful. But, it sure did the trick for me. It kills the virus. Good luck!

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C.M.

answers from
Houston
on
August 04, 2009

I have also heard of putting a cut up half clove of garlic on the wart and cover with a bandaid to make them come off.

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J.M.

answers from
Houston
on
August 03, 2009

My daughter contracted warts from school 4 years ago and is still dealing with outbreaks. The doctor thought for sure they would resolve themselves by now, but they haven't. Here is a new treatment doctors are experimenting with. Apple Cider Vinegar irritates the skin and the warts will go away. Put Apple Cider Vinegar on a cotton ball and saturate the wart. (Of course, I would not do this around the eyes.) Then cover the wart with duck tape. Continue doing this every 12 hours until the wart is gone. Typically can take 10-14 days. Obviously, if it is somewhere noticable you may not want to wear the duck tape when you leave your house so you may only be able to wear the duck tape while at home. If the skin gets overly irritated and burns apply less apple cider vinegar a little less often. Trust me, I talked to a dermatologist that was experimenting with this treatment in her office so there is medical evidence behind it. Good luck!

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C.H.

answers from
Houston
on
August 03, 2009

Hi A.,
I see a naturopathic dr. who has helped me with several issues. All her treatments are natural. Tracy Southwick, ND at Heights of Health in Houston. Painless, noninvasive testing and treatment. HTH.

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M.D.

answers from
Victoria
on
August 03, 2009

My 5yr old has them too, I took him to the pediatrician and he suggested Compound W wart remover from walmart. It has stopped the spread of them and they have almost all gone away, it just took a little time to get there. Fear not, it can be fixed. I freaked out when I started seeing them all over my son's face! You can't hide that! Best of luck to you:)

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S.O.

answers from
San Antonio
on
August 03, 2009

Check out Beeyoutiful.com - I would even put in a call to them or email to get specific advice. They are very helpful.

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L.B.

answers from
Odessa
on
August 03, 2009

I had a wart on my neck just prior to my wedding. I went to a doc on Thurs to have it removed. We scheduled it for the following Tues. He mentioned the word papilloma so I did a search and read about apple cider vineger. I dabbed a cotton ball in it and taped it to the spot with a band aid. Took it off the next morning. It dried up and fell completely off. It was totally gone when I went in the following Tues to have it removed. The doc was astonished. It's simple. I'd give it a try.

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N.C.

answers from
Austin
on
August 03, 2009

My dad used to always rub a potato on our warts and it got rid of them within a week or two. It's something about the starch in the potato. Cut the end off a potato, rub it on the warts 3-4 times a day, wrap the potato in plastic wrap. When the end gets dry, just cut more of it off and keep going.
It worked for us, but we usually only had a few to deal with. I don't know if it will work on such a large area.

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L.C.

answers from
Corpus Christi
on
August 03, 2009

Apple cider vinegar. It really works! Just put it on a small piece of cotton (like from a Q-tip) and put that under a Band-Aid everyday for a few days and it will go away! :-)

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J.T.

answers from
College Station
on
August 03, 2009

I used an OTC product called Duofilm on my sons warts. They were on his tushie so I do not know about eyelids. It took a good month before they were even shrinking. Keep applying what the Dr. prescribed and make sure you follow the directions to the letter.

Make sure he washes his hands CONSTANTLY so he doesn't spread them to other body parts and friends.

Good Luck!

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M.T.

answers from
Austin
on
August 03, 2009

I used to have warts on my hands growing up and had a horrible time getting rid of them. I had a doctor try to freeze them off, I tried creams and other medicines. I use to even to try cut them off with fingernail clippers. What finally worked was this over-the-counter medicine that created a bubble around it and in a couple of days it would be gone. Your son's case seems a little more serious so i'm not sure if that would work or not. After I would do the medicine I would trim them up with nail clippers so they weren't as noticeable. The majority of the time it didn't hurt but if it did I would stop. You might even want to look into homeopathic rememdies.

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K.A.

answers from
Austin
on
August 03, 2009

Well I don't know how this would work on eyelids, but my daughter had terrible warts on her elbows. Her pediatrician told me, before we start anything else to try duct tape(I know!?). But we did as she said and they are gone. She told us to put it on them and leave it for three days, then, take it off during the day and only wear it at night for three nights. Then we should but more on and leave it for three more days. 9 days total, and the warts were gone.

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K.J.

answers from
Houston
on
August 03, 2009

Hi A.,
I know how you feel and I know how your son feels. I had warts all over my legs growing up and my sis had them on her hands. The one thing that my Doctor had me do was put compound w (liquid form) on them and cover them with a band-aid. The next day, he said to get a finger nail file and sand it down and re-apply the compound w on it. Cover again with a band-aid. Do this for a couple of days. The important thing here is...if you know where the first wart ever popped up at, you want to really attack that one. It is referred to as the mother wart. Once you get rid of this one, all the little ones will die and go away. I know this sounds crazy but it really does wrok. I killed both of the mother worts on my legs and then all of the other ones that fed from the mother just went away. I am going to say.....when you file down the wart and apply the medicine.....it will sting for a little bit. Also, be sure that he doesn't touch anywhere else on his body while sanding down the wart and applying the medicine. The juice (liquid) from the wart is contageous!!! Make sure all hands get washed adn that a band-aid is applied. But to this day...my sis and I are wart free. You can get compound w at Walgreens and places liek that...it is not a prescription. Hope this helps the both of you out. Good luck!!!